Tutorial How to Start Collecting: Seraphon

Howdy, folks! This is a guide to show you how to get the most out of your Start Collecting: Seraphon box.

I believe the ideal number of these boxes to purchase is 2, in order to minimize the number of unusable models (following Matched Play unit composition rules) from the Knights and Warriors units. However, if your opponents dont mind you paying points-per-model, instead of the increments listed in the General's Handbook, you'll likely be perfectly fine with a single box. With two boxes, you get a solid mix of different units to build, which you can mix and match for 1000 point games. The second post in this thread will contain my recommendations for working with two Start Collecting: Seraphon boxes, and in particular, what you can build with "leftover" models.

When I use the phrase "full command," it refers to having three models in a unit representing a single leader (Alpha), standard-bearer (Stardrake Icon), and musician (Wardrums). This terminology comes from Warhammer Fantasy Battle.

Sprue Breakdown

...for one Start Collecting: Seraphon box.

Carnosaur/Troglodon

1 Carnosaur/Troglodonsprue, which is used to assemble the majority of the Carnosaur or Troglodon.

1 Carnosaur/Trogolodon "Riders" sprue, which contains bits for the Saurus Oldblood, Saurus Scar-Veteran, and Skink Oracle. It comes with an additional set of legs for the Saurus Rider to be assembled "on foot". You can find parts of the Troglodon's collar and the back spines on the sprue as well. There are several weapons options and decorations on this sprue, some of which are for units that no longer exist in Age of Sigmar. There are lots of good bits on this sprue for decorating and conversions.

If you use the sprues to build a Saurus Oldblood or Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur, you will have leftover bits with which to convert a Skink Hero of some kind. I recommend a Skink Starpriest, as I think he's very useful with the units you will have from Start Collecting: Seraphon. You can also magnetize the Saurus rider to switch between the Saurus Oldblood and Scar-Veteran. I recommend modeling the Saurus rider with armor.

If you use the sprues to build a Troglodon, you will have leftover bits with which to create a Saurus Hero on foot. I found this handy guide which explains how to create a Saurus Hero on Foot. With the amazing power of magnets, this Saurus Hero can represent either a Saurus Oldblood or Saurus Sunblood.

Saurus Warriors

3 Saurus Warriors Club sprues, which have the bodies, legs, club-wielding arms, shield arms, and shields.

With the bits provided, for each 4 Saurus Warriors you assemble, one model may be assembled as an Alpha Talon, one model may be assembled to carry a Stardrake Icon, and one model may be assembled to carry Wardrums. If the minimum size of a unit of Saurus Warriors was 4 models, you could build three 4-model units, each with full command, from a single Start Collecting: Seraphon box. You are not forced to assemble any Saurus Warrior as a Alpha Talon, Stardrake Icon-bearer, or Wardrummer.

As an alternative to Saurus Warriors, you can convert their weapons into polearms by snipping the heads off of the spears, and attaching the heads of the clubs. Tell your opponents they are Saurus Guard. Only 3 of the clubs resemble the polearms from Saurus Guard, so you may look to other bits for an appropriate polearm head. I recommend painting converted Saurus Guard with faded scales/skin to look older and more weathered than Saurus Warriors or Saurus Knights.

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For Matched Play, these sprues provide enough parts to assemble a 10-model unit of Saurus Warriors with full command. Two Saurus Warriors will be left over. If you make the Saurus Guard conversion, you can assemble two 5-model units of Saurus Guard with full commands, or one 10-model unit of Saurus Guard with full command. Two Saurus "Guard" will be left over.

Saurus Knights

2 Saurus Knights Lance sprues, which have lance-wielding arms, the banner-wielding arm, banner accessories (including toppers), shield-carrying arms, wardrums, some club-wielding arms, an alternative head for the Alpha Knight's mount, and some decorations.

2 Saurus Knights body sprues, which contain the Saurus bodies, remaining club-wielding arms, Saurus heads, including an additional head with which to indicate the Alpha Knight, and some decorations.

8 Cold One sprues, each of which contains all the bits to assemble a complete Cold One mount.

With the bits provided, for each 4 Saurus Knights you assemble, one model may be assembled as an Alpha Knight, one model may be assembled to carry a Stardrake Icon, and one model may be assembled to carry Wardrums. If the minimum size of a unit of Saurus Knights was 4 models, you could build two 4-model units, each with full command, from a single Start Collecting: Seraphon box. You are not forced to assemble any Saurus Knight as an Alpha Knight, Stardrake Icon-bearer, or Wardrummer.

For Matched Play, these sprues provide enough parts to assemble a 5-model unit of Saurus Knights with full command. Three Saurus Knights will be left over.

...but what can you do with two Start Collecting: Seraphon boxes that you cannot do with one?

I'm convinced that grabbing a second box is critical to any collection. In general, I try to play as WYSIWYG as possible. to both help me remember what I have on the table, and to assist my opponent. The second box will allow you to field a larger unit of Saurus Warriors or build more units of Guard, and gets you more bits to explore conversions. You'll be surprised how many bases you can cover, which is what I'll elaborate on below.

I'm going to approach two-box optimization from the view that I want to not only have a variety of models in my collection, but have a variety of point-costs to build lists with. I think the two boxes will serve you well, as you can have as many as 1580 points from just two boxes, or as few as as 1380, following my directions.

Carnosaur/Troglodon
With the sprues available, my assembly recommendations are as follows:

Build one Saurus Hero on Carnosaur, magnetized to represent either the Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur or Saurus Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur.

Build oneTroglodon.

Build one Saurus Hero on Foot, magnetized to represent either the Saurus Oldblood or Saurus Sunblood, using the bits leftover from the Troglodon kit.

Build one Skink Wizard, magnetized to represent either the Skink Starpriest or Skink Starseer

Use the throne bits from the Troglodon to construct a throne appropriate to the Skink Starseer, and use magnets to attach the Skink from the Carnosaur. With a second throneless base made, it easily represents both Skink Wizards, affording you much flexibility in list buildilng.

The Troglodon is the cheapest Behemoth option available to Seraphon, and I would rather have two different looking Behemoths, than two Saurus Heroes riding nearly identical Carnosaurs. I do think there is merit in having both Carnosaur variants in your collection, because there is quite a bit of synergy in their Command Abilities. But, because it's their Command Abilities that have synergy, you would have to run a Fangs of Sotek Battalion, and that's going to bring you into the 2000 point army range: it's a very expensive combo that really only comes into play against Monsters. You'll have to work your best Green Stuff Magic to get them into different poses. Hint: buff the Clawed Forelimbs with the Oldblood's Ancient Warlord Command Ability, and buff the Oldblood with the Scar-Veteran's Saurian Savagery.

One additional Saurus Warriors Full Command made from three of the four remaining models.

Swap this with three non-Command Saurus Warriors when you want to run two 10-model units of Saurus Warriors.

One Saurus Astrolith Bearer from the last Saurus Warrior model, with kitbash from your now-massive Seraphon bits collection.

I personally recommend clubs for Saurus Warriors. A 20-model unit will have no problem getting into close combat, and if that is proving difficult, roll out the Saurus Oldblood on Foot for a 3" 'Pile Out' in each of your Hero Phases. That will allow you to subsequently Pile In into the best position. Mind you, any model in base-to-base with an enemy cannot participate in the 'Pile Out', due to the specifications of the Paragon of Order ability.

If you decided to go the route of the Saurus Guard, you can assemble...

Two 5-model units of Saurus Guard with Full Command

One 10-model unit of Saurus Guard with Full Command

One additional Saurus Guard Full Command made from three of the four remaining models.

Swap this with three non-Command Saurus Guard from the 10-model unit to run a total of four 5-model units of Saurus Guard.

One Saurus Astrolith Bearer from the last Saurus Warrior model, with kitbash from your now-massive Seraphon bits collection.

I would prefer to have both Saurus Warriors and Saurus Guard in my collection, so I am inclined to go and pick up an actual Saurus Guard box, which has all the pieces you need to build exactly three 5-model units of Saurus Guard with Full Command. They're really nice looking models, too. Saurus Guard get no model-count bonuses or Horde discount, so I'm going to need a big single-unit buff to justify running them outside of minimum size units, which might encourage me to get a second Saurus Guard box to run one 20-model unit alongside two 5-model units, or three 10-model units. Also, it will give me other wonderful bits with which to do various conversions.

Saurus Knights
I recommend assembling the 16 Saurus Knights as...

Three 5-model units of Saurus Knights, each with Full Command, which is15 models in total.

One Scar-Veteran on Cold One from the last Saurus Knight model, with kitbash from your now-massive Seraphon bits collection.

Coincidentally, you can field a Firelance Starhost with just the models you assembled from the Saurus Knights.

The Saurus Knights are very good in 'Multiple Small Units', as they deal enough damage on their own to outperform Saurus Warriors under 30 models, while being quite a bit faster, when you compare equivalent points costs (200 pts. Saurus Knights > 200 pts. Saurus Warriors unit for damage, but 300 pts. Saurus Knights < 300 pts. Saurus Warriors unit for damage). I recommend running them with Lances, for the simple fact that the Lances deal Mortal Wounds, and Clubs do not. This will make them useful against more targets.